The invention relates to the lighting arts. It is especially applicable to the illumination of border areas such as the sides of staircases and rooms, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, the invention will also find application in other areas where a linear lighting apparatus is beneficial, such as in outdoor building border lighting and lighted signs.
Border lighting includes strips of lights or light-emitting material laid along borders of rooms, steps, staircases, and the like. Border lighting enhances safety and increases the brightness of an enclosed space. It can also have aesthetic value. Border lighting is also commonly used outdoors for applications such as safety lighting, lighted signage, and building outlining.
Border lighting strips typically have certain characteristics that differ from general lighting applications. Border lighting is usually not used as primary illumination, and so the luminous intensity requirements are somewhat relaxed. However, border lighting strips are often placed in areas where physical damage to the strip is likely. For example, a border lighting strip along a step of a staircase is likely to be occasionally stepped upon. Outdoor border lighting strips are exposed to the elements. Thus, physical sturdiness is an important quality, and a watertight sealing can also be advantageous.
Another characteristic is that border lighting strips are often used in substantial lengths. For example, installing border lighting along the boundaries of a typical room with dimensions of 18 feet by 15 feet will require approximately 66 feet of strip lighting, neglecting additions or subtractions due to doors, wall protrusions or recesses, and the like. Thus, manufacturing costs become a significant commercial factor, and a low manufacturing cost per unit length is desirable.
Presently, most border lighting is provided by neon border tube systems. However, neon tubes are very fragile, have high power consumption, and are difficult to install. Neon tubes typically require high voltages, thus requiring a specialized power supply, and the high voltages can raise safety concerns. The materials used in neon tubes can present environmental issues.
Border lighting systems that use linear arrays of discrete light emitting devices (LEDs), such as light emitting diodes, are also known. In one prior art border lighting system, the LEDs are physically and electrically mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) which is surrounded by a light-transmissive housing. The prior art LED-based border lighting systems have several disadvantages, including complex assembly, fragility, and reliability issues arising from the complexity and fragility. Past LED-based border lighting also requires a relatively large number of LEDs per unit length which increases manufacturing and operating costs.
Prior art border lighting using either neon tubes of LED elements affixed to a PCB support is physically rigid and inflexible. These lighting strips cannot be bent around corners in a flexible manner.
The present invention contemplates an improved border lighting strip that overcomes the above-mentioned limitations and others.